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Pundit Kevin Campbell has been reacting to who could join Erik ten Hag in the Manchester United dugout, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Verbal agreement…

It appears to be a matter of time until the Red Devils confirm Ten Hag as their new manager after striking a verbal agreement with the 52-year-old earlier this week.

An announcement isn’t expected anytime soon however, due to Ajax’s Dutch Cup final with PSV at the weekend, reports David Ornstein.

Reports do however believe that Ten Hag wants to bring his assistant Mitchell van der Gaag with him to Old Trafford, while Steve McClaren and Robin van Persie are also under consideration.

The Latest: Campbell’s comments

Campbell, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to FI regarding the possibility of the former United duo returning to the club to work under Ten Hag.

He labelled it as ‘important’ and ‘a brilliant move’, while also admitting he can see move materialising.

“It would be a smart move because both of them know the club inside out.

“Ten Hag knows what McClaren is about. They’ve been successful. They know.

“Van Persie had great success at Man United. Getting people in who know the club and know what’s required to be successful is important.

“I think it would be a brilliant move, if I’m honest. I can see it happening.”

The Verdict: Interesting…

Along with Van der Gaag, it could be wise for Ten Hag to bring McClaren and Van Persie to Old Trafford. He knows McClaren well after serving as his assistant at FC Twente, with roles possibly reversed 14 years on.

Fellow countryman Van Persie enjoyed plenty of success as a player with the Red Devils, and could also bring something different to the coaching team.

It will be interesting to see who Ten Hag brings with him, but what is most important for United chiefs at this moment in time is that a move goes through without any late hiccups. A coaching team potentially needs to be sorted before a deal is finalised, but only time will tell.

In other news: ‘Interesting’ Man Utd news has pundit talking; says Leeds supporters ‘will be devastated’

Rangers chief Ross Wilson looks set for a busy summer transfer window at Ibrox to shape Gio van Bronckhorst’s squad heading into next season.

The Gers lost their crucial top-of-the-table clash in the Premiership on Sunday and now sit six points behind their rivals with games running out to catch up with them.

A major flaw in the current squad was exposed in the 2-1 defeat to the Hoops as Alfredo Morelos’ absence all but ended their chances of winning.

Kemar Roofe has started the last two Old Firm matches in the Colombian’s absence and put in dismal performances in both of them. The ex-Leeds man has not scored a single goal from open play in his eight league starts for the Gers and this suggests that he has not been good enough as back-up to Morelos.

Therefore, Wilson must be in the market for a striker to compete with the South American forward, with a view to taking over from him further down the line.

The club are reportedly interested in a deal to sign talented 18-year-old goalscorer Josh Stones from English side Guiseley, but Football Insider recently claimed that Wigan have agreed terms over a contract with the centre-forward ahead of the summer.

Wilson must now avoid a major disasterclass in the window as missing out on the attacker would be a big blunder from the Ibrox supremo. His sublime goalscoring record at youth level suggests that he has the potential to be Morelos’ heir in Glasgow.

Stones has scored 21 times in 13 games in academy football throughout the 2021/22 campaign, whilst he also scored a hat-trick for the England schoolboys team against Scotland recently. This means that the predator has 24 goals for club and country this term in at least 14 matches – a phenomenal return for the 18-year-old fox in the box. 

He could be the replacement Van Bronckhorst needs for Roofe, based on his goalscoring return, and that is why missing out on him would be a disaster-class for the club.

At the age of 18, he has the potential to keep improving and progressing as a player. This means that the Gers would be picking up a financial investment as well as a gem who may have the quality to solve their long-term Morelos problem at Ibrox. His record in front of goal suggests that he can be the heir to the Colombian’s throne and that is why Wilson must do everything in his power to usurp Wigan and snatch this deal up from under their nose.

AND in other news, Gvb now plotting Rangers swoop for “exceptional” monster, he’d be a bargain “diamond”…

Former Premier League footballer Carlton Palmer believes that Crystal Palace should look to sign Conor Gallagher permanently. 

Gallagher made the switch from Stamford Bridge to Selhurst Park this summer on a one-year loan deal and has started the season well for Crystal Palace, scoring two goals at the weekend against West Ham United and helping the Eagles to draw the game.

The 21-year-old spent last season out on loan with West Bromwich Albion, scoring two assists, and has had previous loan moves away from Chelsea with Charlton Athletic and Swansea City.

Palace manager Patrick Vieira has based his summer transfer business around younger players with Michael Olise, Jacob Montes, Marc Guehi, Joachim Anderson and Will Hughes all joining Gallagher at Selhurst Park.

Asked if the Eagles should be looking to make Gallagher’s switch a permanent one, Palmer told the Transfer Tavern: “Yeah, obviously he’s doing well, you know where Palace are. There’s no hiding about where Palace are, their recruitment has to be smart, they haven’t got the biggest budget in the world and so your basis has got to be around good young players.”

Palace have responded to an opening day defeat at the hands of Chelsea, with back-to-back draws against Brentford and West Ham, leaving them with two points from a possible nine so far.

Former Tottenham Hotspur star Graham Roberts insists that Emerson Royal looks “lost” after his move from Barcelona.

The club announced that they had secured a deal to sign the right-back in the final week of the summer transfer window.

The deal cost Spurs £25.8m and he has gone on to play twice in the Premier League, against Crystal Palace and Chelsea.

Unfortunately for Emerson, Spurs have lost both games 3-0, leaving Roberts with significant doubts over the ability of the former Barca star.

Indeed, Emerson was perhaps only picked against Chelsea because Japhet Tanganga was sent off against Palace, having enjoyed an impressive start to the season.

Spurs will next be in action against Arsenal in a vital north London derby this weekend, and Roberts has concerns over the Brazilian, brought to the capital by Fabio Paratici.

He said: “I think the right back who’s come in looks lost at the moment, I think Tanganga has to get back in there.”

Emerson only played three times for Barcelona, spending the majority of his Nou Camp career out on loan with fellow La Liga club Real Betis.

Even though Liverpool have in the past signed some of their current players for substantial transfer fees such as Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker, Naby Keita, Diogo Jota and Fabinho among others, we feel there is one player at the club currently residing in Jurgen Klopp’s squad who may have gone under the radar in recent years that we feel FSG should get a lot of praise for securing – Joel Matip.

The Cameroonian joined Liverpool in the summer of 2016 on a free transfer from German side Schalke 04 after the Merseyside club secured a deal for him the previous February.

Since then, the 30-year-old has made 133 appearances for the Reds across all competitions, scoring six goals and providing three assists along the way.

So far this season, Matip has played the full 90 minutes in all but one of Liverpool’s Premier League games and has been ever-present in their three Champions League games, cementing himself as a vital figure for Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

Shortly after arriving at Anfield in the summer of 2016, Transfermarkt had his market value listed as £16.2m, before shooting up to £36m in December 2019, highlighting a significant impact since his arrival.

At this moment in time, Matip’s market value has fallen back to £16.2m, but we feel this has more to do with him reaching the age of 30 rather than anything to do with his playing time or his quality on the pitch, especially with Klopp calling him an “unbelievable” player in terms of what he can do.

Despite this drop in market value, we feel that it should not take away from how great a signing the defender has been for the Reds considering that FSG managed to get him on a free transfer and what he has since delivered for them on the pitch.

Moving forward, while his market value may not be likely to go back up towards where it was back in 2019, we think Matip has what it takes to continue impressing for the Reds this season and beyond if injuries don’t impact his playing time as they have done in the past.

In other news – Imagine him & Salah: FSG must seal Liverpool move for “incredible” £45m-rated machine

An update has emerged on VVV-Venlo striker Georgios Giakoumakis, regarding Celtic’s pursuit of the forward.

What’s the talk?

According to The Daily Record, Celtic have agreed a £2.1m (€2.5m) fee with Dutch side VVV-Venlo for the transfer of centre-forward Georgios Giakoumakis.

The report claims that the Greek striker will now discuss personal terms with the club, having travelled to Germany to speak with Werder Bremen earlier on Wednesday.

Ange will be buzzing

Ange Postecoglou will be buzzing with this news as it means that Celtic are closing in on an exciting signing. Agreeing the fee with Venlo is a huge step towards bringing him to the club, but they now need to convince him that a transfer to Scotland is more beneficial to him at this point in his career than playing in the second division in Germany with Bremen.

The Greek international scored 26 times in 30 games for Venlo in the Eredivisie, averaging a stunning WhoScored rating of 7.30. He also won an impressive four aerial battles per game and provided one key pass every other match, showing that he had more to his game than just goals.

This means that Celtic could be getting a player who is able to score goals consistently and hold the ball up to link the play throughout matches. Postecoglou would surely love to have a player with these qualities as the old adage states – goals win you games, Giakoumakis produces them like a machine.

Football Oranje founder and editor Michael Bell labeled him as ‘deadly’ and said that he would be a shrewd buy for the Hoops. He told 67HailHail:

“Giakoumakis is a presence up front who is good in the air but also has a strong right foot. He is a handful for the backline and is always full of running. Giakoumakis took a lot of shots for VVV last season and scored a varied range of goals. He is a great penalty taker and deadly from close range.

“However, this is all based on one season for VVV, who relied fully on the Greek forward and built their side around him.

“The big question mark around him is whether he can do it for a side challenging at the top of the table.

“To be honest I am surprised that he hasn’t been snapped up yet. Feyenoord were linked for a while but that seems to have gone cold. I think he would be a good signing for Celtic or Werder [Bremen].”

Therefore, the 6ft 1 goal machine could be an excellent addition to Postecoglou’s squad, if he is able to make the transition from scoring goals in the Netherlands to doing it in Scotland. For a price of £2.1m, it is worth the gamble for the Hoops.

AND in other news, 100% duels lost: Celtic disaster who made just 3 passes embarrassed Ange vs AZ…

There was a time when Leeds United supporters spitefully shook their heads as the club’s recruitment team neglected important areas of the team in the transfer window.

That had never been truer than when someone like Pascal Struijk joined the Whites.

The Dutch defender didn’t receive a particularly warm welcome but he serves as a fine example for needing to be patient.

He has been crucial this season and in a campaign where the likes of Robin Koch and Liam Cooper have been injured, the emergence of the colossal Struijk has been timely.

But it’s at the other end of the pitch that we want to focus on for the time being where another timely breakthrough act has been discovered.

That falls in the form of Joe Gelhardt, a teenager who is very quickly becoming an important figure at Elland Road.

Star striker Patrick Bamford has featured only once since a bad ankle injury back in September as the previously irremovable object from Bielsa’s side was finally dethroned.

Dan James, Rodrigo, Tyler Roberts and Gelhardt have all been utilised at the top of the pitch in Bamford’s absence but of all of them, it’s the lad the Elland Road faithful know as ‘Joffy’ who has caught the eye the most.

Signed for just over £1m in August 2020, his value and estimations are growing rapidly.

It’s clear to see why, too. He already has 25 career goals across senior and youth level and has taken to Bielsa’s methods like a duck to water, winning a crucial penalty against Wolves and scoring against Chelsea in his limited opportunities this season.

His performances have subsequently earned rave reviews with Leeds Live reporter Bergen Cross who hailed the masterclass done in the transfer window by Victor Orta and co.

He said: “Gelhardt may well be the best bit of business the club has done in the last 20 years, if not ever, because he just looks absolutely outrageous, very, very good player.”

The youngster has been so impressive that he was described as a “human wrecking ball” by Bielsa.

The boss added: “I like him, he’s really exciting. He’s fast, he’s aggressive, he gets on the ball, he takes people on. Once he gets into the box, he loves it. That’s where he can do most of his damage.”

It’s clear that Gelhardt has a quite remarkable amount of potential and for that alone, it is a dream deal.

Combine Bielsa’s affection for the player with his growing importance and it’s hard to disagree with Cross’ bold statement.

He’s certainly someone that can loosen the burden on Bamford’s shoulders in the coming years.

AND in other news, Leeds can finally replace Hernandez with 17 G/A “grafter” who “Bielsa quietly admires”…

Leeds United are willing to sell centre-back Robin Koch this summer, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Koch’s poor form

The German was described as ‘horrible’ to watch by Beren Cross in the opening day defeat to Manchester United, and things haven’t got much better for him in the eight months since.

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The 25-year-old has failed to nail down a regular starting spot under both Marcelo Bielsa and Jesse Marsch, making just 11 league starts. As per WhoScored, Koch has been the worst-rated senior performer this season with an average match rating of 6.32/10.

He has also missed 38 games with various injuries and illnesses since arriving from Freiburg in a £13m deal in 2020, and it looks as if Marsch and Victor Orta may have had enough of the defender.

The Latest: Elland Road source reveal

Football Insider shared a story regarding Koch after being informed by a source close to Leeds.

They claimed that the Yorkshire club would be willing to listen to offers for the centre-back as they plot a defensive overhaul. The report even adds that an offer between £10m and £11m would be enough for Leeds, who would be making a small loss on the 25-year-old in that case.

The Verdict: Defensive overhaul needed…

Should Leeds remain in the Premier League over the coming weeks, you’d expect that a big summer overhaul is required, with a number of incomings to bolster the small squad that Marsch took over.

The Whites have let in a league-high 68 goals in just 31 games, making it clear to see that they could benefit from a defensive shake-up over the coming months.

Koch has been outperformed by Liam Cooper, Pascal Struijk and Diego Llorente this season, and following links to FC Koln’s Timo Hubers in recent days, it looks as if Koch could be the man to make way.

In other news: Leeds and Marsch handed early injury boost as ‘strong’ player may now return v Watford  

After a rather uninspiring start to the season, October saw Southampton turn their fortunes around in the Premier League, winning two out of the four league games they played, the first of which being their first win of the campaign against Leeds United.

One player that played a significant part in Southampton’s success in October, particularly in their two victories where they managed to keep two clean sheets in the process was defender Valentino Livramento.

The right-back played every minute of league action for the Saints last month, showing just how valuable he is to Ralph Hasenhuttl, despite only joining the south coast club back in the previous summer transfer window.

During October, Livramento managed to rack up a total of 13 tackles in the league, more than fellow Saints defender Jan Bednarek, highlighting Livramento’s impressive defensive capabilities.

In addition to this, the 19-year-old also managed to grab his first goal of the season in their 2-2 draw against Burnley as well as racking up four key passes, proving that, as well as being a reliable defender, Livramento also has some attacking prowess in him, which makes him a very well-rounded player for the Saints.

According to SofaScore, the only Premier League game in October where Livramento earned himself a lower overall match rating of 7.0 was in their 3-1 defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, showing how fairly consistent he is with his performances and why he could be considered as Hasenhuttl’s hero for the month.

As well as his impressive performances in October, Livramento’s entire start to the season with Southampton has grabbed the attention of England manager Gareth Southgate who recently said the Saints defender has had an “excellent” campaign with the club so far.

Moving forward, with the full-back having to pull out of international duty earlier this week with an injury, Hasenhuttl and everyone else at Southampton will definitely be hoping that the youngster will be able to play in their next Premier League game against Norwich City and replicate the same sort of performance he put in during their previous league game against Aston Villa where he earned himself an overall match rating of 7.5/10 from SofaScore, making him their joint-highest rated player on the day.

In other news: Forget JWP: “Nasty” Saints beast who’s made 24 tackles has been Ralph’s secret weapon – opinion

Italian icon Paolo Di Canio lasted less than a year at the Stadium of Light as he endured a rough time on Wearside in 2013.

He left Football League outfit Swindon in February 2013 and joined the Black Cats in March. The former West Ham maestro led the Mackems to 17th place in the Premier League in the final seven matches of the 2012/13 campaign, winning two of those games.

Di Canio was then given the opportunity to add to his Sunderland squad in the summer of 2013 and one player he wanted to bring to the club was his fellow countryman Lorenzo Insigne.

Fabio Andreotti, his agent at the time, confirmed that the Black Cats were interested in a deal to sign the Napoli forward. He said: “The Sunderland rumour is true. But Lorenzo wants to stay here, even if it means earning less money.

“His renewal? We just want justice, Napoli still haven’t contacted us, we are waiting for them.

“We have clear ideas and he wants to stay. However, there have been clubs with enough courage to ask Napoli about his asking price.”

At the time, Insigne was valued by Transfermarkt at £9.9m. He ended up staying at Napoli as Di Canio was unable to do enough to tempt him into making the move to Wearside, and his form for the Azzurri over the years has been sublime, making his compatriot’s failure a big blunder.

Jurgen Klopp once dubbed the phenomenon “outstanding” and the player’s statistics back up that praise. In 428 matches for Napoli, he has scored 119 goals and provided 93 assists – including 26 goals and 18 assists in two Serie A campaigns between 2016/17 and 2017/18.

In December 2018, Transfermarkt valued him at a whopping £67.5m. This perfectly illustrates how much he kicked on over the years since Sunderland’s interest and shows the level of player the club missed out upon as they failed to convince him to make the switch to the Stadium of Light.

After failing to land the winger, Di Canio lost four of the first five games of the 2013/14 Premier League campaign and was swiftly relieved of his duties with the club sat at the bottom of the table.

Insigne was one that got away from Sunderland and for the Italian boss, whose blunder played a part in him ultimately losing his job. Who knows what would have happened with Di Canio at the Stadium of Light had he been able to sign Insigne to bolster his squad…

AND in other news, Speakman must avoid embarrassing Sunderland error over “sublime” gem who “can change a game”…